Daily Devotional Saturday 30th May 2020
by William MoodyActs 20:1–12
Paul in Macedonia and Greece
20:1 After the uproar ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging them, he said farewell and departed for Macedonia. 2 When he had gone through those regions and had given them much encouragement, he came to Greece. 3 There he spent three months, and when a plot was made against him by the Jews1 as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. 4 Sopater the Berean, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus. 5 These went on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas, 6 but we sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we came to them at Troas, where we stayed for seven days.
Eutychus Raised from the Dead
7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight. 8 There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered. 9 And a young man named Eutychus, sitting at the window, sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer. And being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. 10 But Paul went down and bent over him, and taking him in his arms, said, “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.” 11 And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed. 12 And they took the youth away alive, and were not a little comforted.
Footnotes
[1] 20:3
Greek Ioudaioi probably refers here to Jewish religious leaders, and others under their influence, in that time; also verse 19 (ESV)
Paul’s travels once more take him from what is today the Turkey side of the Aegean Sea to the Greek side (v1). He returns to churches he had seen formed in order to encourage them (v2). We all need encouragement and to be encouragers. Think of how you can encourage others today in their Christian walk.
Paul again faces opposition (v3) and threats on his life. In times like this the fellowship he enjoyed from his fellow travellers was very important (v4-6).
In Troas as time is short Paul speaks until midnight (v7). Due to the late hour and the fumes and heat from the lamps Eutychus falls asleep and then falls out the window to his death (v8-9).
Paul is used to see him restored to life (v10). An amazing miracle yet Paul doesn’t seem to make a big deal about this. Such was the power of God moving that he was used to. We need to be hungry today to see God’s power at work among us. This should be our passion and the focus of our praying.
Paul has something to eat, or possibly it was the Lord’s Supper (v11) and then he kept speaking until daylight. Eutychus went home well. God’s power moving and a hunger for His Word went hand in hand. Blessing comes and God’s power moves through His Word.
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